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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638621">What Lies Underneath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/abswrites/pseuds/abswrites'>abswrites</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Female-Identifying Reader, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mistaken Identity, Misunderstandings, Reader-Insert, Romance, Secret Identity, Sexual Tension, Sloppy Makeouts, Soft Eren Yeager, Titan Shifter Eren Yeager, no beta we die like the survey corps</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:48:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,750</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638621</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/abswrites/pseuds/abswrites</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Every eligible girl in town was invited to the castle for a chance to marry the king. Uninterested in marriage, you expected to just keep your head down. That is, until you caught the attention of the mysterious gardener.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eren Yeager/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>EREN JAEGER|AOT, aot, want to read</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. That Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This idea literally would not leave my brain, and so I was forced to write it lol. I hope you all enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There really was nothing better than the smell of fresh-baked bread, you decided. Digging into the pockets of your skirt, you handed over enough money for two loaves. You tried to smile at the baker gratefully, but he simply avoided your eyes.</p><p>You didn’t normally tend to leave your house, but the weather was so nice today that you couldn’t help yourself. The sound of snickering behind you drew your attention. Glancing over, you met the eyes of a group of older women, who were staring at you while whispering to each other. Resisting the urge to roll your eyes, you continued on your way.</p><p>You were never popular among the townspeople, but ever since your parents died, it seemed to have gotten worse. People saw what they wanted to, you supposed. The people in town saw you, a young girl living alone with only your cat for company, and they wasted no time tearing you down. Plenty of insults were hurled at you regularly, with “witch” being the most common. Honestly, couldn’t they be a bit more creative? Perhaps it didn’t help that you had always preferred solitude over their company.</p><p>Making your way back home, you glanced over to a large crowd around one of the stores. There seemed to be more girls than usual at the tailor. That was odd. There hadn’t been much of a need for new dresses lately, especially with the war going on. Was there an event in town that you didn’t know about? </p><p>It didn’t matter either way. It’s not as if you would have been invited.</p><p>“I’m home,” you called, pushing open the door to your cottage. Franz leaped up from where he’d been perched on the table and wove himself in between your feet, purring. “Well, at least someone’s happy to see me,” you cooed, scratching his ears.</p><p>Placing the fresh loaves on the table, you sighed. A cup of tea sounded like just what you needed. Moving to put on the kettle, you were interrupted by a heavy knock on your door.</p><p>You glanced at Franz, confused. “Now who could that be?” </p><p>Throwing the door open, you were met with a smiling blond man standing before you. He seemed friendly enough, but you eyed his expensive-looking cloak and the scroll in his hands warily. Behind him, you saw a horse-drawn carriage on the street, the royal family’s crest displayed on it. </p><p>Ah, you should have guessed. Ever since the war started, all the townspeople were told to pay more taxes in order to support the war effort. A small price to pay to support the kingdom of Eldia, you supposed.</p><p>He opened his mouth to speak, but you beat him to it. “You’re from the castle, aren’t you? The tax collectors already came by earlier this week.”</p><p>“Oh, no,” he was quick to say. “I’m sorry for the confusion. My name is Armin Arlert. I’m the royal advisor. May I speak with you for a moment?”</p><p>This was unusual. Of course, you knew that there were people living in the large castle overlooking the village. You just had never heard of them coming to town.</p><p>“Of course. Please come in,” you said, holding the door open. “I was just about to make some tea, would you like some?”</p><p>“That would be great,” he said, stepping inside. As he made his way to the table, Franz hissed at him. </p><p>“Franz!” you scolded, shooing him away. “I’m sorry, he’s not used to visitors.” Neither were you, for that matter.</p><p>“No, please don’t apologize. It’s my fault for intruding on you like this.”</p><p>As you made the tea, you thought back to all your recent actions. You definitely hadn’t done anything criminal lately. You paid all your taxes on time. All in all, you were a fairly normal citizen. Nothing that required a personal visit from the castle.</p><p>Trying to hide your nerves, you placed a teacup in front of him. You took a seat across from him, fingers fiddling with your own cup.</p><p>“Mr. Arlert, what exactly is this about?”</p><p>“Please, call me Armin,” he began. “Before I tell you that, I want to ask you something. What do you know about the king?”</p><p>“The king?” you repeated, unable to hide your surprise. “Not much, I have to admit. Just what they say in town.”</p><p>If the townspeople were cruel in their description of you, they were downright ruthless when they talked about the king. Supposedly, he had the ability to transform into a fifteen-meter-tall creature. They called him a monster, a fiend, a devil. </p><p>But besides that, he seemed like a good ruler. Eldia had been at war with the neighboring kingdom, Marley, for years now. And yet, Eldia didn’t seem to show any signs of losing, even though they were at a massive disadvantage pertaining to their size and military technology. You could only assume that this was because of the king’s leadership.</p><p>“I see,” Armin said. He met your eyes, tilting his head. “And what do you think of him?”</p><p>“I’m not one to listen to gossip,” you told him. “I’d rather form my own opinion of people.”</p><p>You weren’t positive, but it seemed like he was pleased with your answer. </p><p>“I should tell you why I’m here,” he said, “but to be honest, I’d prefer discussing this with your parents.” He glanced around, eyes quickly sweeping over the entirety of your cottage.</p><p>“They’re dead,” you said shortly. Perhaps it was a bit callous of you, but after so many years without them, you had become rather forthright about it.</p><p>Brushing off his sputtered apologies, you motioned for him to continue.</p><p>“Well — I suppose I can discuss this with you then. The reason that I’m here is because the king is looking for a wife.”</p><p>Your eyes widened. “Okay…” </p><p>“He’s been facing a lot of pressure from neighboring nations lately, especially with the war going on, so taking a wife would be a wise political move. I’ve been going to see all the ladies of marriageable age in town.” Armin explained, gesturing to his scroll. “You’re the last one on the list.”</p><p>You took a sip of tea, hoping that your apprehensiveness wasn’t evident on your face. “Armin… forgive me if I’m mistaken, but are you asking me to marry the king?”</p><p>“Well…maybe? I should explain the terms.”</p><p>“Please do.”</p><p>“All the ladies in town are invited to spend ten days at the castle, during which they’re free to get to know the king. Everything will be provided for your stay. At the end of the ten days, there will be a ball, where the king will announce who he has chosen to wed. If you’re chosen, half the kingdom will be yours, and you’ll become the new queen of Eldia.” </p><p>“Look,” you began, folding your arms. “I mean no disrespect, but I’m not interested in marrying a king.”</p><p>“Just think about it,” he said pleadingly. “That’s all I ask. If you aren’t chosen, you’ll still be compensated for your time. I’ll send a messenger to get your answer in three days.” </p><p>Finishing off the rest of his tea, he stood to leave. “Thank you for your hospitality.” </p><p>You stayed at the table, frozen in thought. </p><p>He had one hand on the doorknob when you called out to him. “Why did you even come to me?” you asked, avoiding his gaze. “Surely, you must have heard what people say about me. I doubt the king would even consider me as a potential bride.”</p><p>Armin gave you a small smile. “We at the castle don’t listen to rumors either,” he said, and with that, he walked out. </p><p>The sound of the door closing echoed through the cottage.</p><p>You sighed and dropped your head into your hands. “Franz, what am I going to do?”</p>
<hr/><p>The next three days passed by too quickly for your liking. You spent hours ruminating over your decision, Franz purring away on your lap. </p><p>Truth be told, you had lied to Armin. It wasn’t that you were uninterested in marriage. It was just that you had never even considered it a possibility. There weren’t many young men in the village anymore. All the men who had come of age were sent off to fight in the war. And the ones that had stayed behind definitely weren’t interested in you.</p><p>It would have been easy for you to decline. To say that you appreciated Armin’s offer, but you were happy with your life, and you didn’t need anything else. But the more time you spent thinking about it, the more you realized that that wasn’t entirely true. Sure, you may have been content with your life. But all these days spent alone in your cottage were taking a toll on you. You longed for some company outside of what Franz could offer. </p><p>In all honesty, you felt a bit silly admitting it, but you had always wished for adventure. Maybe going to the castle would give you the fresh start you had always wanted. And if the king picked the girl who he liked most as his bride, you would just have to make sure that you weren’t her.</p><p>When the messenger showed up on your doorstep, you were quick to give him your answer. </p>
<hr/><p>It took less time than you had expected to pack your things. </p><p>You weren’t necessarily poor, but you were by no means rich. All you had with you was a shoddy knapsack, packed with your best clothes, which was slung over your shoulder as you waited outside your cottage. Franz was sitting by your feet, glaring at everyone who looked your way.</p><p>You had begged the messenger to let you bring Franz along with you, and he had reluctantly accepted. A carriage would come by to pick you up and bring you to the castle, he had said, along with an escort. You scanned the street eagerly, resisting the urge to bounce on your toes.</p><p>At last, you spotted a carriage making its way towards you. “Well, I guess this is it,” you muttered, leaning down and scooping up Franz.  The carriage stopped in front of you, and you were surprised to see Armin step out.</p><p>“Good afternoon,” he said, reaching out to take your knapsack off your shoulder. “Are you all ready to go?”</p><p>You hesitated, and he gave you a curious look. “Uh—yes.” Keeping your hold on Franz, you scrambled to get on the carriage. “I’m sorry, when the messenger said there would be an escort I was expecting a soldier.”</p><p>“Is it a problem that I’m here?” he asked, stepping on after you.</p><p>“No, of course not!” you rushed to reassure him. “It’s just that you’re the royal advisor. I’m sure you have more important things to do.”</p><p>“Actually, the king himself insisted on me escorting you.”</p><p>“Me? Why me?”</p><p>“Who knows?” he said, amused. </p><p>You got the feeling that you were missing something.</p><p>Truthfully, you were more comfortable with Armin since you had already met him before.  It was kind of the king to send him to escort you, but that didn’t make you any more interested in marrying him. And you definitely didn’t want to think about him any more than you had to. </p><p>As the carriage departed for the castle, you spoke up again. “So, Armin, could you tell me a bit more about this offer?”</p><p>“Right, of course,” he began. “Including you, there are five girls. Every day, each girl will get an assigned time slot to spend time with the king. These meetings are a way for you all to get to know him personally. When you’re not with him, you’re free to spend your time however you like. All the rooms and facilities in the castle will be available to you.”</p><p>You nodded in acknowledgment. “Can I ask you something? Earlier, you asked me what I thought of the king — why is that?”<br/>
 <br/>
Armin sighed. “Honestly, people in town were so scared of him that they weren’t willing to let their daughters come to the castle. That’s why there are so few girls who accepted. The only way I could get them to accept was by offering them money.”</p><p>Well, that was kind of terrible. Although you didn’t know much about the king, you knew he certainly didn’t deserve that. He wasn’t a bad ruler, by any means. He did his best to ensure that the effects of the war didn’t reach the village, and he did keep everyone safe. But then again, rumors could ruin a person’s life. You knew that better than anyone.</p><p>You were just about to respond when Armin cleared his throat. “Looks like we’re here,” he announced. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The World the Girl Saw</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You had read descriptions of castles in your storybooks as a child often, but the real thing was nothing like you expected.</p><p>Soaring turrets, ivy draped stonework, softened edges--perhaps from centuries of rain, narrow windows occasionally dotting the walls, grey and brown brick—the whole thing left you starstruck. </p><p>Armin glanced at you and stifled a laugh at your open-mouthed expression. “It’s impressive, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Extremely,” you murmured in awe.</p><p>As the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the tall arching gates, Armin nudged you playfully. “You know, if you manage to impress the king, this could all be yours.”</p><p>You rolled your eyes, choosing not to deign that with a response.</p><p>Jumping down from the carriage, you set Franz down from where he’d been squirming in your arms. He took off eagerly, ready to explore the area. </p><p>“He’ll be back when he’s hungry,” you answered Armin’s questioning look, and he nodded. </p><p>“Come on,” he said, leading you into the castle. “I’ll show you to your room.”</p><p>Following him down the long hallways, you noted all the people around you. Whenever people mentioned the king, you had always assumed he lived alone in the castle. But clearly, that wasn’t the case. A group of soldiers nodded at you as they passed.</p><p>“Armin?” you spoke up as you eyed their uniforms. “Why are there so many soldiers here? I thought most of them would have gone off to fight in the war.”</p><p>“You’re right, they have. All the soldiers here are part of the king’s personal guard.”</p><p>“So many? How much protection does he need?”</p><p>“More than you think,” Armin said gravely. “There’s been far too many assassination attempts on him recently.”</p><p>Your fear must have been reflected in your eyes, because he was quick to reassure you. “Oh, don’t worry! You’ll be perfectly safe. Some of the other girls’ parents only agreed for them to come if they were well-protected, so you’ll each have a personal guard assigned to you. Yours should be waiting for us by your room.”</p><p>He led you up a long staircase and down another hallway. “All the girls are staying in this wing of the castle,” he explained. “Your room is at the end of the hall.” </p><p>A black-haired woman stood in front of the room, her back to the door. Armin’s face brightened upon seeing her. </p><p>“Ah, this is Mikasa,” he told you. “She’ll be guarding you during your stay here.”</p><p>You eyed her weapons and muscles warily, but the smile she gave you seemed friendly enough. </p><p>“I’ll leave you to get settled in,” Armin said. “Dinner tonight will be in the Great Hall – Mikasa can show you where it is. Your meetings with the king start tomorrow, but all the rooms in the castle are available to you, so feel free to spend your time however you’d like.”</p><p>“Thank you for escorting me,” you said.</p><p>“You’re welcome,” he said warmly. “I’m sure I’ll see you around the castle throughout your stay, but until then, enjoy yourself.”</p><hr/><p>You had considered staying in your room, but a castle this large simply demanded to be explored. </p><p>Mikasa seemed nice, albeit a bit quiet. She dutifully accompanied you as you marched down one of the castle’s many hallways, explaining the layout of all the rooms to you. Unfortunately, you had severely underestimated the castle’s size, and by the fifth hallway, you were out of breath. </p><p>“If you want to take a break, the kitchen should still be serving tea,” she offered softly, polite enough not to laugh. “It’s this way.”</p><p>You followed her gratefully to a pair of large oak doors, which she knocked on twice before pushing open. Inside, a man and woman sat at a large wooden table. Your eyes swept over them, registering their soldier uniforms. </p><p>“Ah, Mikasa!” the woman called. “Haven’t seen you in a while. Come here, sit down!”</p><p>“Shut up, four-eyes,” the man muttered, taking a sip of tea. “You’re so damn loud.”</p><p>The woman paid him no mind, her gaze instead shifting over to you. “Oh? Who’s this?”</p><p>You stepped forward to introduce yourself. “I’m one of the girls staying here for the next few days.”</p><p>Her eyes glinted behind her glasses. “Oh, one of the king’s girls, huh? Well, come have some tea with us. I’m Hange, one of the commanders of the Royal Guard. This grump here is Captain Levi.”</p><p>Levi seemed uninterested in the conversation, but you didn’t miss the respectful nod he gave you as you sat down next to Mikasa. </p><p>“The king’s girls’?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah, the other ones arrived earlier this morning,” Hange explained, sliding a cup of tea over to you. “I escorted one of them here, but she wasn’t nearly as nice as you are. She wouldn’t even talk to me on the way to the castle. Said I was ‘just the help’, and that she was only interested in speaking to the king.”</p><p>“Tch,” Levi scoffed. “I’ll never understand why there’s so much fuss over that brat.”</p><p>You almost spat out your tea. “I’m sorry?” You saw Mikasa scowl at Levi from beside you. </p><p>“Don’t mind Levi,” Hange said, reaching over to ruffle his hair. He tried to slap her hand away, but she simply laughed. “He and the king don’t get along that much, but he’s really a big softie.”</p><p>She reached up to adjust her glasses. “Anyways, how’s your stay been so far? What did you think of the castle?”</p><p>“It’s beautiful,” you answered truthfully. “I haven’t been here that long, but so far Mikasa’s been very helpful.” At your words, Mikasa blushed and turned her head away. </p><p>Hange nodded. “Yeah, you really lucked out. Mikasa’s the best guard you could ask for.” She leaned in conspiratorially, smirking. “You know that girl I escorted? I might have stuck her with the most annoying guard I could think of.”</p><p>“Don’t tell me,” Levi groaned. “You stuck her with Floch, didn’t you?”</p><p>Hange roared with laughter. “A match made in heaven, if I do say so myself,” she announced.</p><p>As Levi and Hange continued bickering, you thought back to Hange’s earlier words. It seemed like some of the other girls were dead set on marrying the king. You were beginning to feel like an imposter.</p><p>But honestly, you didn’t regret coming. It had been so long since you had shared conversation with other people. Hange seemed a little eccentric, but by no means was she rude. You weren’t quite sure about Levi, but he was polite to you. </p><p>“Excuse me,” you interrupted softly. They all turned to look at you expectantly. “I was just wondering, it seems like you all know the king pretty well?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah,” Hange nodded earnestly. </p><p>“We’ve all been here at the castle for years now,” Mikasa added.</p><p>“Could you tell me a bit about him?”</p><p>“Ah, I see how it is.” Hange winked at you. “Trying to get some inside information to win his heart, yeah?”</p><p>You recoiled in shock, shaking your head vehemently. “No, it’s not like that! I was just curious.”</p><p>“Sure, sure.” She doesn’t look convinced. “Honestly, he’s pretty great. Not everyone would listen to me ramble for hours, but he does.”</p><p>“He really cares about the people around him,” Mikasa said. “That’s the main reason he agreed to Armin’s idea about getting married. He wants to stop the war as soon as possible.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t say he agreed to it,” Levi muttered. “It’s not like he’s happy about it.”</p><p>“When are you supposed to meet him, anyways?” Hange asked.</p><p>“Uh—Armin said tomorrow.” </p><p>“You don’t sound very excited about that,” Levi observed. </p><p>Sighing, you looked down at your teacup. “It’s not that,” you said, absentmindedly tracing the edge of your cup with your finger. “It’s just—it feels wrong for me to be here, somehow.”</p><p>Hange looked confused. “How come?”</p><p>“Honestly, I couldn’t care less whether or not the king likes me,” you confessed. “All the other girls here seem so determined to marry him, but I’m not even trying to catch his attention. It makes me wonder if I even deserve to be here.”</p><p>Mikasa reached over and squeezed your hand gently. “Don’t say that. Armin invited you here, didn’t he? That means he thought you deserved to be here, and he’s rarely wrong.”</p><p>“That’s right,” Hange said. “And don’t forget, it’s not up to you or the other girls. At the end of this, it’s the king who makes the final decision, so don’t worry about what you’re doing.” </p><p>Finishing off the last of your tea, you smiled at her, your heart feeling much lighter than before.</p><hr/><p>If it were up to you, you would have spent the rest of the evening with Levi and Hange. But the dinner tonight was for all the girls who had been invited, and the last thing you wanted to do was be rude and miss it. After promising Hange that you would come back and chat sometime and stopping by your room to change into something more formal, you and Mikasa took off for what she called the ‘Great Hall’. </p><p>“How do you even remember where everything is?” you asked her, amazed, as she led you down one of the hallways. “This place is like a maze!”</p><p>Mikasa laughed lightly. “I’ve been living here my whole life, so it’s second nature to me at this point.”</p><p>You followed her to a pair of elaborate doors, which she gestured you towards. “The Great Hall is in here.”</p><p>You were about to walk in when you noticed that Mikasa wasn’t following you. “You’re not coming?” you asked, glancing at her inquiringly.</p><p>She looked flustered by your question. “I’m just a guard,” she said, “I can’t eat with you. You’re a guest here.”</p><p>You tapped your chin in thought. “You’re my personal guard, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Yes, I suppose.”</p><p>“Well, what if I get attacked while I’m eating?” you said, grinning at her. “You need to come sit with me. For protection, of course.”</p><p>Mikasa doesn’t look convinced. “It’s alright, you don’t need to do this,” she rushed to reassure you.</p><p>“Hey,” you said softly. “I’m doing this because I want to. That’s it.”</p><p>“…Okay,” she said, giving you a small smile. </p><p>The second you pushed the doors open, a pair of servants came rushing forward, leading you both to the large dining table in the center of the room. </p><p>The other four girls were already seated, and they paused their chatting to give you a dirty look. Well, you should have expected this, you thought, taking your seat. Armin told you that the other girls were from your village as well, so they must have heard of you. </p><p>You were about to introduce yourself when one of the other girls spoke up. “I know you,” she said to you accusingly. “Aren’t you the one who lives in that cottage alone in the village?”</p><p>The other girls gasped. “That’s her? The one they call a witch?” you heard them whisper amongst themselves. </p><p>“That’s me,” you replied, resisting the urge to sigh. </p><p>Her face scrunched up in disgust. Well, there went your chance of befriending them, you supposed. She opened her mouth again, most likely to insult you, when she was interrupted by the doors opening. </p><p>Armin walked in, and you smiled at him, grateful to see a familiar face. He walked to the head of the table and cleared his throat. “Good evening, ladies,” he announced. “I hope you all have been enjoying your stay here so far. I’m here to extend an apology on behalf of the king. Unfortunately, he will not be able to make it to dinner tonight.”</p><p>“Why not?” one of the other girls demanded.</p><p>Armin looked away sheepishly. “He—uh, he has a prior commitment.”</p><p>A quick look around the table confirmed that everyone else was just as confused as you were. </p><p>“Anyways,” he continued, “the king is looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow. Enjoy your meal and have a good rest of the night.” With that, he gestured the servants forward to serve dinner.</p><p>“I should have guessed this would happen,” Mikasa muttered from beside you, grimacing.</p><p>“What do you mean?” you asked.</p><p>“Let’s just say the king isn’t completely on board with this whole idea,” she replied. “He’s kind of…stubborn.”</p><p>“So, he skipped dinner on purpose?”</p><p>“Probably. My guess is that Armin’s gone off now to talk some sense into him.”</p><p>“Does this…happen often?” you asked hesitantly. You had imagined the king to be a powerful being, someone whose authority was never questioned. But by the way Mikasa, Hange, and Levi talked about him, it was evident that wasn’t the case.</p><p>“You have no idea,” she said, turning to her dinner.</p><p>You picked at your own food, deep in thought.</p><p> You would finally be meeting the king tomorrow. But honestly, you weren’t sure if you were excited or frightened by that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for the kind words on last week's chapter, they were so sweet! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and for all my fellow American readers, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. I Can Hear His Heartbeat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You had thought that waking up at the castle would feel unusual, but it wasn’t that different from waking up in your cottage. Your morning started the same as it always did, with Franz meowing at you as soon as you left your room.</p><p>Mikasa stood outside your door, attentive as ever. You had tried to convince her the night before to get some sleep and that she didn’t need to wait outside, but she had brushed you off.</p><p>“So, what’s the plan for today?” you asked her on the way to breakfast.</p><p>“Well, your meeting with the king isn’t until tonight, so you’re free to spend the rest of the day however you want,” she explained. </p><p>As you and Mikasa entered the Great Hall, the other girls fell silent.</p><p>“Good morning,” you murmured to them, taking your seat.</p><p>“...So anyway,” one of the girls said, turning away from you. “As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I met with the king early this morning.”</p><p>“Really, Anka?” the other girls gasped in awe. “What was he like?”</p><p>You tried not to look too interested. </p><p>“Honestly, I was surprised that he could even speak,” the one called Anka said in a scathing tone, “considering he isn’t even human.”</p><p>“Did you talk to him?” the girl across from you asked.</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous, Caven. Why would I talk to him? It’s not as if I actually have to like him to marry him,” Anka said. “It’s all political. I marry him and receive half his kingdom in exchange. Simple.”</p><p>The other two girls exchanged nervous glances. “Weren’t you scared?” one of them piped up. “I can’t even imagine being near him.”</p><p>Anka seemed to preen under all the attention. “Of course not. Don’t you know who I am? My family is the richest in town. Me, scared of him? How preposterous. He’s lucky I even came here.”</p><p>From her spot next to you, you saw Mikasa clench her fists under the table. The girls’ words left a sour taste in your mouth, and you were pleased to see that she felt the same way. You knew you wouldn’t forgive yourself if you didn’t say anything.</p><p>“You seem awfully certain that you’ll be the one he chooses,” you said.</p><p>Anka whipped around and glared at you. “Well, obviously. Otherwise, who would he pick? You?”</p><p>“Of course you would defend him,” Caven laughed scornfully. “You both are the same. The witch and the devil, a match made in hell.”</p><p>The other girls’ laughter was cut off by the arrival of servants with breakfast. As the other girls turned to their meals, Mikasa squeezed your hand lightly.</p><p>“Thank you,” she whispered.</p><p>You turned to her, surprised. “For what?”</p><p>“The king is one of my best friends,” she explained softly. “It means a lot that you would defend him.”</p><p>“Don’t mention it,” you said, turning to your own plate. “I’d do it for anybody.”</p><p>Following your outburst, the tension in the room seemed to grow exponentially. You figured it would probably be best to finish eating as quick as you could, just to get away from the other girls. As you and Mikasa finished your meals and rose to leave, you noted that the other girls seemed to be talking about someone at the castle who had approached them. </p><p>“As if I would talk to the gardener,” you heard one of them scoff as you left. </p><p>As soon as you had pushed open the doors to exit the Great Hall, a servant rushed up to you.</p><p>“Excuse me, my lady. I have a message for you,” she said, bowing before you.</p><p>“For me? What is it?” you asked hesitantly.</p><p>“The king extends his apologies, but he will not be able to meet with you tonight.”</p>
<hr/><p>“Mikasa, would you mind leaving me alone for a bit?” you asked later that evening. You had tried to distract yourself throughout the day by spending time with her, but to no avail. “I think I’m going to take a walk.” She looked hesitant about leaving you, but after you assured her you wouldn’t leave the castle grounds, she relented. You didn’t miss the pity in her eyes.</p><p>Truthfully, you were a little annoyed. Sure, you weren’t as invested as some of the other girls. You had no family back home eagerly awaiting your marriage, and you had no need to improve your social status. But it still seemed unfair that the king had canceled his meeting with only you. You couldn’t help but feel a bit slighted. </p><p>You tried walking down the castle hallways to clear your head, but there was nowhere you could be alone. The bustling of servants and soldiers could be heard at every corner. Living alone had left you unused to this much noise. </p><p>Spying a stone bench outside through one of the windows, you made your way over. It was situated on the outskirts of the grounds, far from the castle, and overlooking the village. The perfect place to ensure you could be alone. </p><p>You were content with sitting there, looking out at the evening sky. The moon was high overhead, illuminating the view below. The castle stood on a high ledge overlooking the city, and you had a clear view of your cottage below. </p><p>You didn’t even notice the approaching footsteps until a voice drew you out of your musings. </p><p>“May I sit here?”</p><p>Startled, you turned.  A man stood by the bench, looking at you expectantly. </p><p>The sum of this stranger came to you in parts. The long dark hair framing his face. The sharp, clean line of his jaw. The eyes that were a verdant, lovely emerald, the brightest you’d ever seen.</p><p>He was beautiful — all bundled up in a dark robe and a cream-colored sweater. You noticed with mild interest that he wasn’t wearing a servant or soldier uniform.</p><p>The man cleared his throat, an amused look on his face, and it struck you that you never answered his question. You dragged your eyes away from him.</p><p>“Of course,” you said sheepishly.</p><p>He dropped onto the bench next to you, legs stretched out in front of him, and your face burned at the close proximity. This wasn’t the first time you had been alone with a man – you had spent an entire carriage ride with Armin, for crying out loud – but something about this one made your heart race. </p><p>“You must be one of the girls from the village,” he said. His voice was low, smooth, and strangely compelling.</p><p>You only nodded, not trusting your voice at the moment.<br/>
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“You can call me Kruger,” he replied, and you introduced yourself in turn. He repeated your name back, thoughtful and slow, like he was savoring it, committing it to memory. “I think I’ve heard of you.” </p><p>You steeled yourself or something, sure that he would repeat the rumors associated with you.</p><p>“You’re the one who’s friends with some of the soldiers, right?”</p><p>Wait, what? Out of all the things he could have said, you certainly weren’t expecting that. “Uh, I wouldn’t say that,” you mumbled. “I only met them recently.”</p><p>“Well, they seem to think very highly of you,” he said, giving you an appraising glance. </p><p>Embarrassed, you ducked your head, and the two of you fell into a comfortable silence. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Kruger said after a moment.</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“For interrupting you. It seemed like you wanted to be alone out here,” he said.</p><p>“No, it’s alright. I was just… thinking.”</p><p>“I know what you mean,” He glanced out at the view, his dark hair dancing lightly in the breeze. “It’s a good place to think. I like to come here whenever I can. The best part is that no one comes looking for me here.”</p><p>“Oh? Do people come looking for you a lot?”</p><p>He chuckled. “More than you’d think.” </p><p>You laughed lightly.</p><p>“Speaking of which,” he continued, “Mikasa’s your guard, right? How’d you escape her? She’s usually very protective.”</p><p>Your smile dropped. “Honestly, I think she felt bad for me.”</p><p>“How come?”</p><p>“I kind of got stood up by the king. I was supposed to meet with him, but something came up.”</p><p>Kruger’s eyes widened momentarily. His face seemed to darken for a moment, a shadow of anger passing over it.</p><p>“Are you…upset about that?” he asked cautiously.</p><p>You shrugged. “I guess I was a bit upset before, but not anymore,” you admitted. “It’s not his fault that he couldn’t meet with me.”</p><p>He eyed you curiously. “That’s awfully generous of you.”</p><p>“Well, I don’t know much about him, but he seems nice—”</p><p>Kruger cut you off in disbelief, stiffening. “What did you just say?”</p><p>“That he seems nice?”</p><p>He laughed humorlessly. “You’re kidding, right? Don’t you know what they say about him? He can turn himself into a titan, an actual monster, and you think he’s nice?”</p><p>You hummed thoughtfully, tilting your head back on the bench. “Anyone can be a god or a devil,” you said softly. “Just because someone says it doesn’t make it true.”</p><p>Feeling his eyes on you, you turned to look at him. His green eyes darkened, and he considered you for a long moment. His gaze was so captivating that you couldn’t look away. </p><p>The moment was broken when you heard Mikasa call your name distantly. You immediately straightened up, noticing that you’d been unconsciously leaning towards him. </p><p>“I should be going,” you said, standing. Just as you were about to turn and walk to the castle, you felt a hand grab your wrist. You looked back at him questioningly.</p><p>“Meet me here tomorrow night,” he muttered, avoiding your eyes. A light blush spread across his cheeks. “I’ll show you the garden.”</p><p>“I—I can’t,” you stammered out, flustered by his unexpected request. “I’m supposed to meet the king then.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s alright. Come afterward.” Kruger’s fingers tightened around your wrist for a moment, a peculiar little smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “I don’t think he’ll mind.”</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Can't Look into His Eyes Yet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you all for your incredibly sweet comments! I'm so grateful to each and every one of you :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After spending most of the day lounging around the castle with Franz, you headed back to your room to make yourself presentable for the night.</p><p>As you pushed open your door, a small white box on your nightstand caught your attention. That was odd -- you distinctly remembered that not being there earlier. Investigating further, you found a small note underneath. Looking forward to tonight, it said in swooping calligraphy.</p><p>You opened the box to reveal a glittering diamond bracelet. You weren’t too familiar with jewelry, never having been able to afford any, but even you could tell that this was extremely valuable. A gift from the king, then? That was nice of him. The other girls must have received one as well. </p><p>Slipping it on your wrist, you spent a bit longer than necessary getting ready, going over your appearance with a fine-toothed comb before the mirror. “It’s only polite,” you told yourself firmly. “I’m going to be meeting royalty, the least I can do is not look like a complete slob.”</p><p>A small voice in your head whispered that the reason you were putting in so much effort was because you’d be meeting Kruger in the gardens afterward, but you squashed that thought down as soon as it came. </p><p>Right when you had finished, Mikasa knocked on your door. “Are you ready?” she questioned.</p><p>“I think so,” you said hesitantly. “Do I look alright?”</p><p>She nodded. “I’m sure he’ll think so too,” she said slyly. </p><p>You closed the door behind you, letting Franz scamper ahead of you. “So, where exactly will I be meeting with him?” you asked, changing the subject. </p><p>“The king wants to meet with you in the library,” Mikasa said as she walked you down the hallway. </p><p>Taking a deep breath, you glanced at her. “Any advice?”</p><p>“Just be yourself,” she assured you. “He’s really not as bad as you think, and I’m sure he’ll love you.”</p><p>You tried not to dwell on the fact that it definitely was not your goal to make him love you. </p><p>“I think one of the other girls is with him right now, but they should be done soon enough,” she said as you both waited outside the library door. </p><p>You waited in silence for a few moments before the door burst open. Anka shoved her way past you, muttering something under her breath. “Fucking horse-faced devil,” you could faintly make out. You presumed that her meeting with the king didn’t go as she had planned.  Before turning the corner, she paused and glanced back at you. “Good luck, witch. You’ll certainly need it.”</p><p>You stared after her in awe, not knowing how to respond. Scoffing, she rounded the corner.</p><p>Seeing your hesitancy, Mikasa reached out and squeezed your hand once. “Don’t listen to her. Are you ready?”</p><p>Nodding, you opened the door and stepped inside.</p><hr/><p>Truthfully, you had expected the king to look much more regal and imposing. Intimidating, even. The man in the chair in front of you was anything but. </p><p>Remembering your manners, you curtseyed in front of him. Oddly enough, he looked supremely uncomfortable at your show of respect. </p><p>“Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair in front of him. </p><p>As you sat down and looked at him, you were struck with the sudden thought that he seemed to resemble a horse quite a bit. Immediately chastising yourself for the rude thought, you gave him a once-over. Even from his seated position, you could tell that he was quite tall. He had brown eyes and dark brown hair, though upon closer inspection, his hair seemed to be a wig. You thought this was strange, but chose not to dwell upon it. Perhaps it was not unusual for royalty to wear wigs. </p><p>“Have you been enjoying your time at the castle?” he asked.</p><p>You nodded, avoiding his eyes out of respect. “Yes, your Majesty.” He seemed to fidget every time you called him that, but perhaps he was just nervous around strangers? You certainly couldn’t fault him for that. </p><p>He shifted slightly. “I wanted to apologize for the other day,” he said. “Unfortunately, I had to cancel my session with you, but I’m sorry that it was on such short notice.”</p><p>“It was no problem,” you assured him.</p><p>You both fell into an awkward silence, and you racked your brain for things to say. </p><p>“Thank you for the bracelet,” you began softly. “It’s beautiful.”</p><p>Oddly enough, he looked confused by your words. “Bracelet?” he asked. Catching sight of it on your arm, he stared at it for a moment, and realization seemed to hit him. “Ah, yes...that bracelet,” he said slowly. “I am glad that you like it.”</p><p>After another round of silence, he opened his mouth to speak again. “...Mikasa is your guard, isn’t she?” he asked hesitantly.</p><p>“Yes, your Majesty.” </p><p>Was it just you, or was that a blush you could see on his face?</p><p>“What do you think of her?”</p><p>You tried to steel your expression, but your eyebrows inadvertently jumped at the odd question. It wasn’t that odd, you immediately told yourself. He’s the king -- of course he wants to keep up with information on his staff and guards.</p><p>“She’s been terrific,” you told him. “She’s really nice and helpful.”</p><p>The king sat up a bit straighter. “She is, isn’t she?” he asked eagerly. </p><p>Odd. You had thought the purpose of this meeting was for him to get to know you, but he seemed far more interested in talking about Mikasa. Well, if that was what he wanted, it was only polite for you to indulge him. </p><p>“You two must be quite close,” you remarked. “She mentioned that you were one of her best friends.”</p><p>The king looked shocked at your words. “Me?” he asked softly.</p><p>You opened your mouth to reply, but a frown quickly overtook his face. “Oh, yes,” he said. “We’ve known each other for...quite a while now.” For some reason, he said the words as if he didn’t quite believe them. The corners of his mouth turned down in displeasure.</p><p>Sensing his discomfort, you quickly changed the topic, sticking instead to trivial small talk.</p><p>The longer you were in the presence of the king, the more shocked you were. This was the man that everyone was scared of? Sure, this man seemed a bit shy, but he definitely did not seem evil, or devilish, or any other moniker people applied to him.</p><p>How peculiar. </p><hr/><p>“How’d it go?” Mikasa asked as soon as you stepped out of the library. </p><p>“It was alright, I suppose,” you said slowly. Truthfully, you had no idea how to describe your interaction with him. “Nothing like I had expected.”</p><p>“Do you think it went well?”</p><p>“I have no idea,” you said. </p><p>She simply hummed in acknowledgment. </p><p>Pushing the king out of your mind, you turned your thoughts to Kruger. He had told you to meet him by the bench again. Silently, you thought of a way to shake off Mikasa. Your room had a window close to the ground, so it would be easy for you to leave through it. </p><p>Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea for you to leave without telling Mikasa where you were going, but Kruger had said he wanted the spot to be private, and for some reason you found yourself wanting to spend time with him uninterrupted. Besides, you had never been all that good at following rules anyway.</p><hr/><p>You walked out to the bench, where Kruger was already seated, waiting for you. As soon as he saw you approaching, he stood.</p><p>“You came,” he said, sounding awed.</p><p>“You asked me to,” you said, confused.</p><p>He shook his head. “No, I just meant… I was worried you would change your mind.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t do that,” you said, “but I was wondering, is it okay for me to be out here? I didn’t even tell Mikasa where I was going, and I heard the grounds can be dangerous at night.”</p><p>He reached out and grabbed your hand. Even though he was still a stranger, somehow his touch had the effect of calming you down almost instantaneously. His grip tightened momentarily on yours. “I’ll keep you safe.”</p><p>You stared at him, surprised at his sincerity.. “Or I can walk you back to your chambers if you’d rather be alone,” he offered softly.</p><p>“No,” you shook your head emphatically. </p><p>“Come on then,” he said, pulling you along gently. “it’s this way.”</p><p>You weren’t sure if it was normal for a man to be this forward, but you definitely weren’t complaining.</p><p>“By the way,” he began, glancing down at your wrist. “Nice bracelet.” You weren’t sure, but it seemed like he was pleased that you wore it.</p><p>You initially thought it would be rude to wear the king’s gift to meet another man, but the bracelet was so beautiful you couldn’t resist. “Thank you,” you said softly. “It was a gift from the king.”</p><p>Kruger looked amused. “He has good taste.”</p><p>You got the feeling you were missing something.</p><p>He took you through the courtyard until you reached a large hedge maze behind the castle.</p><p>“Really? A maze?” you blurted out in surprise. “As if the castle itself wasn’t confusing enough.”</p><p>He laughed at that. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure we won’t get lost.”</p><p>Kruger led you through the maze as easy as breathing, his grip on your hand never faltering. He took you through an archway covered with flowers into the garden.</p><p>You gasped softly in surprise, eyes widening as you took in the sight before you. </p><p>It was a grand garden, surrounded by high walls lined with small, golden lamps. From the entrance where you stood, you could see white and purple orchids, violets, hydrangeas, peonies and many other types of flowers -- flowers you had only seen in books before -- beautifully and carefully arranged in patterns around the garden. There were also different varieties of trees from large oaks to weeping willows, and the vivid green grass was lush and carefully groomed. The night was clear, and stars gleamed overhead, adding to the beauty of the scene.</p><p>Kruger watched you carefully. “Do you like it?”</p><p>You nodded, starstruck. “It’s incredible.”</p><p>He looked pleased by your response, and a question popped into your head. “By the way, I never asked you what you do at the castle. You don’t wear the soldier uniform -- are you the gardener?”</p><p>“Something like that,” he replied enigmatically. </p><p>Before you could inquire further, he began to pull you along again. “There’s a spot where we can sit, if you’d like,” he said. </p><p>You both made your way to the middle of the garden, where a stone bench sat overlooking a small pond. Taking a seat behind him, you realized just how secluded this garden truly was. You couldn’t even see the castle from your position.</p><p>You knew you should have been a bit more careful. You were alone, with a man who was still technically a stranger, and you were far away from any possible guards or soldiers who might have been around. But for some reason, you couldn’t bring yourself to care. Kruger had told you he would keep you safe, and you found yourself trusting him wholeheartedly, for reasons you didn’t quite understand. </p><p>From his spot next to you, Kruger sighed heavily, as if just coming here had released all his tension. </p><p>“Do you come here often?” you asked hesitantly.</p><p>He nodded, a small smile on his face. “Almost every night. It’s a good way to get away from the world, don’t you think?”</p><p>You hummed in agreement. </p><p>He turned his head towards you, pinning you with his emerald gaze. “Tell me about yourself.”</p><p>“Me? Why?” </p><p>Kruger laughed warmly. “Why do you think? Because you’re interesting.”</p><p>“Is that why you invited me out here?” you asked, narrowing your eyes at him playfully. </p><p>“I wanted to get to know you better.”</p><p>“Alright,” you conceded, “but there’s not much to tell. What do you want to know?”</p><p>“What’s your family like?”</p><p>“Oh,” you began softly. “They’re dead.”</p><p>He opened his mouth to speak, regret flashing across his face, but you continued. “My father was a soldier in the military. He died in the war when I was twelve. My mother died from the plague a few years later, and I’ve been on my own ever since.”</p><p>“...I’m sorry,” he said after a moment. “We have that in common, I suppose. War is hell.”</p><p>You glanced at him out of the corner of your eyes. His head was turned away from you, but you could still see the sorrow on his face. Timidly, you reached out your hand and gently placed it on top of his on the bench. His eyes snapped over to meet yours, and you could see heat rise in his gaze. </p><p>A loud sound broke through the silence between you two. You pulled away from him, startled</p><p>“What was that?” he asked sharply, standing up off the bench. The rustling in the bushes continued, slowly growing louder. Your heart raced in fright, but you couldn’t stop your face from burning at the way Kruger stepped in front of you protectively. </p><p>The soft padding of footsteps reached your ears, and the bushes separated in order to reveal Franz leaping through them.</p><p>“Franz!” you exclaimed, as he jumped onto the bench next to you. </p><p>Kruger turned, and he and Franz eyed each other warily. “Is this...your cat?” he asked hesitantly.</p><p>You nodded, scratching Franz behind his ears. “He’s just been wandering around the grounds, and he just comes to find me whenever he gets lonely, I guess.”</p><p>Seeing the look of apprehension on his face, you hastily backtracked. “Sorry, is it alright that he’s here? I can send him away if you want.”</p><p>Kruger shook his head, slowly approaching the bench again. “It’s not that. It’s just...I’ve never really been around animals that much. I can ride a horse, but we never really had small animals around here.”</p><p>He held out his hand, and you almost laughed at the determined expression on his face as he walked slowly towards Franz. Your cat seemed to have deemed him worthy, however, as soon enough he was purring away while Kruger pet him gently. </p><p>“I know it isn’t very traditional to bring a cat with you to a castle, but I couldn’t help myself,” you confessed. “I just couldn’t leave him behind.”</p><p>“Have you had him long?” Kruger asked, glancing up at you. Your heart fluttered at the genuine interest you could hear in his voice. </p><p>“For a few years now,” you told him, stroking Franz fondly. “I found him on the side of the street as a kitten.”</p><p>It was silent for a few moments when Kruger spoke up again. “Franz means ‘freedom’, doesn’t it?”</p><p>You nodded in affirmation. </p><p>“An interesting choice for a name,” he remarked thoughtfully. “What made you choose that?”</p><p>“It’s kind of embarrassing,” you began, rubbing the back of your neck sheepishly. His gaze didn’t falter, and you sighed and relented. “As soon as my mother passed away, I think it just hit me how alone I truly was. I just felt--I don’t know, I guess I felt kind of--”</p><p>“Trapped,” Kruger finished softly.</p><p>You glanced at him, your mouth falling open in surprise. “Exactly,” you murmured. “Ever since I was little, I always used to dream about moving away, starting a new life, and just doing something in the world. Maybe it was stupid, but--”</p><p>“No,” he cut you off firmly. “That makes perfect sense to me. I know how you feel.”</p><p>“Thank you for bringing me here, by the way,” you said.</p><p>He brushed you off easily. “Don’t mention it,” he said. “I’m grateful you trusted me enough to actually come with me.”</p><p>You smiled at him. </p><p>“By the way,” he began, “how has your time at the castle been?”</p><p>“Amazing,” you said. “Everyone here has been really nice. It’s really different from the village.”</p><p>His eyes flashed. “Were people in the village not nice to you?” </p><p>“...Not exactly. I suppose the rumors didn’t help much either,” you remarked offhandedly.</p><p>“Rumors?” His voice had deepened to a growl.</p><p>You looked away sheepishly. “It’s not exactly unexpected, is it? I mean, I was living alone for years. I wasn’t exactly well-liked among the people in the village.”</p><p>He glanced down at the pond, not meeting your eyes. He seemed a bit angry at your words, his face set in a dark scowl.</p><p>“It wasn’t that bad!” you exclaimed, rushing to reassure him. “Actually, now that I think about it, it’s kind of like what happened to the king, isn’t it? The way people talk about him.”</p><p>“...Yes, I suppose you’re right,” he began thoughtfully. “You two are similar in that aspect. Speaking of the king, you met him earlier, didn’t you? How did it go?”</p><p>“Honestly?” you asked. “He was nothing like I expected.”</p><p>“I see,” he said. He leaned in, scrutinizing you with narrowed eyes. “What else?”</p><p>“What?” you asked, your face scrunching up in confusion. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“What did you think of him?” His eyes burned sharply into yours. </p><p>“I mean…” you thought about what you could say. “He seemed alright, I suppose. We didn’t talk much.” You glanced down at your lap thoughtfully. “I don’t think I made much of an impression on him.”</p><p>“I doubt that,” Kruger said under his breath, watching you carefully. “Are you...interested in marrying him?”</p><p>“Not particularly,” you said. You missed the look of relief that flashed across his face. “Besides, I think the other girls are much more preferable.”</p><p>Kruger laughed. “You aren’t serious, are you?” he asked you pointedly.</p><p>You glanced at him in confusion. </p><p>“I tried talking to those girls earlier,” he clarified. “You should have seen the way they brushed me off. Said I ‘wasn’t worth talking to’. I guess they were only interested in talking to the king.” He seemed to find that especially amusing, for some reason. “Trust me, nobody would pick them over you.”</p><p>Your eyes widened at his direct praise. Clearing your throat embarrassedly, you glanced away, searching for a way to direct the conversation away from yourself. </p><p>“Are you familiar with the king as well?” you asked him. “It seems like most of the people here in the castle are well-acquainted with him.”</p><p>He smirked at you. “I suppose you could say that. We’ve...known each other our whole lives.”</p><p>The two of you were content to sit there in silence for a while more. Sitting there next to Kruger, it was hard for you to not think about him. From the moment you had met him, you couldn’t deny that he certainly was intriguing. But now that you had spent time talking to him, it seemed...different, somehow. You always considered yourself a private person, but something about him just made things so easy. Telling him about your past and your fears actually ended up making you feel a bit relieved. You felt so comfortable with him that you hadn’t even realized how much time had passed. </p><p>“It’s getting late,” he remarked, standing up from the bench. He offered you his hand, pulling you up alongside him. At your sudden movements, Franz leaped off of the bench from where he’d been slumbering. “I’ll walk you back to your chambers.”</p><p>The feeling of your hand in his much larger one brought about a wave of courage within you. “Could we do this again sometime?” you asked him hesitantly. “Come out here, I mean.”</p><p>His face seemed to light up at your shy request, and he squeezed your hand gently. “Of course,” he said. “I would love to.” He seemed to feed off of your boldness, and his other hand came up slowly, gently tucking your hair behind your ear. He ran his knuckles across your cheek lightly. Your breath caught in your throat at his casual touch. </p><p>“How about this,” he said, “if you want to meet me, leave a candle burning by your bedroom window. If you do, I’ll be in the garden at night, and you can come out and meet me. I’ll have a servant give you directions on how to get here through the maze.”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan,” you said, grinning up at him giddily. You supposed you could have asked him to meet you somewhere in the castle, but the garden felt more intimate. It felt like an escape, a place where nobody else existed but the two of you. You knew that you couldn’t be in or anywhere near that garden anymore without thinking of or being reminded of him. </p><p>Your heart didn’t slow down the entire way back to your chambers, and even after you bid him farewell for the night, you laid awake in bed for hours, plagued with thoughts of him. Before drifting off, you made a note to request a servant for candles the next morning. Just in case.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fun fact: for those of you who are familiar with it, I kind of modeled the garden in this chapter after Ray's garden from Mystic Messenger</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Close Combat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Mikasa said that she had a war meeting to attend, along with all the heads of the different units in the king’s guard. You had offered to come along with her, but she refused, telling you that it wouldn't take too long.</p><p>“There will still be plenty of guards around the castle,” she said, “so as long as you stay inside it shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll come to find you when I’m done.”</p><p>Nodding, you wished her farewell. As you walked among the guards in the hallways, you decided to explore the uppermost corridors in the castle. You walked up a large staircase and down the hallway. As you approached a more secluded part of the castle, you heard raised voices. </p><p>Glancing into the room, you saw the king and Kruger. They seemed to be in the middle of an argument. Ducking back outside before they could spot you, you hid outside the door. It wasn’t your intention to eavesdrop, but this was the first time you had seen Kruger in the castle. Earlier, when you had asked him about his relationship with the king, he had seemed -- for lack of better word -- quite cryptic. You couldn’t help but be a little bit curious. </p><p>Straining your ears, you attempted to decipher what they were saying. </p><p>“--it was a stupid idea,” you could hear the king saying. <span>“You should have just been honest from the beginning.”</span></p><p>“You should just mind your own business,” Kruger replied icily.</p><p>“It is my business! You made it my business the second you decided to involve me in your idiotic plan.”</p><p>“Shut up, you horse-faced bastard,” Kruger spat back. From your place behind the door, your eyes widened. It was one thing to be close friends with the king, but this was another level entirely. Who exactly was Kruger to be able to speak to the king so disrespectfully? “You agreed, didn’t you? You can handle it for a few more days. It’s just until the ball. And besides, don’t think I don’t know about how you canceled on one of them.”</p><p>The ball? The one where the king would announce which girl he had chosen to be his bride? Was the king getting cold feet? Your thoughts raced in your mind as your confusion grew. </p><p>“I was fine with the plan until I met those girls,” the king was shouting back at Kruger. “Not even you could have handled meeting them all back to back. You neglected to mention just how terrible they all were.”</p><p>Kruger’s voice dropped, and you struggled to catch his next words. “--not all of them,” he seemed to say softly. There was a bit of silence, and you debated quietly leaving from your spot outside the door. You had just taken a step away when Kruger spoke up again. </p><p>“Besides, it’s not like you aren’t getting anything out of it,” Kruger said. “I said I’d talk to Mikasa for you, didn’t I?”</p><p>Even though you couldn’t see his face, you were sure that the king sounded embarrassed. “Shut up, you bastard. I could have talked to her myself if I wanted.”</p><p>Kruger seemed to find this especially amusing. “Oh, really?” he asked scornfully. “Go ahead, do it. You’ve only been in love with her for how many years?” </p><p>The king’s voice rang out with a scoff. However, the tension between them seemed to have evaporated, as their voices lowered again. They didn’t seem to be arguing any longer. Thinking that you had overstayed your welcome, you quietly slipped away and headed back downstairs. </p><p>Your mind raced with all the new information you had heard. So the king was in love with Mikasa? Is that why he seemed so uninterested in marriage? And clearly, Kruger knew about it, as he had offered to help and put in a good word for the king with Mikasa. </p><p>But what was the truth that Kruger was hiding from Armin? And what was the plan that Kruger had involved the king in? You weren’t sure -- it seemed like the more you learned about Kruger, the more mysterious and complicated he got. But he had already caught your interest, and it seemed like he was on your mind all the time at this point.</p><p>You wandered the halls, lost in thought. You didn’t even realize how long you’d been walking until you heard Mikasa call your name.</p><p>“Oh, Mikasa, are you done with your meeting?” you asked. </p><p>She nodded, falling in step beside you. You both walked in comfortable silence until you couldn’t help but ask her a question about what you had just heard.</p><p>“Can I ask you something?” you said, looking over at her.</p><p>She inclined her head in question, and you took that as a cue to continue. “What exactly is your relationship with the king?”</p><p>At your question, you could see the clear adoration on her face. “We grew up together,” she told you, eyes shining. “He’s like my brother.”</p><p>Ouch. Well, that meant she clearly didn’t see the king in the same way as he did her. You nodded in acknowledgment to her answer, and your face scrunched up in thought. Was it really okay for you and the other girls to be here, attempting to marry a man who had his heart set on someone else? </p><hr/><p>After another meeting with the king, in which his behavior was just as strange as last time, you headed to the kitchen for a cup of tea. </p><p>You sat at the table, sipping your tea. Sitting in silence, you didn’t hear the approaching voices until Hange poked her head through the door, dragging Levi with her.</p><p>“Mind if we join you?” she asked cheerfully.</p><p>“Not at all,” you said, gesturing to the empty seats across from you. Truthfully, you could use the distraction for a bit. </p><p>They both fell into the chairs, and Hange looked at you. “So, what’s new?” she asked eagerly. “It’s been a few days since we last saw you.”</p><p>“Alright, I suppose,” you said, taking a sip of tea.</p><p>Levi scoffed at you. “Good one, brat. Now tell us the truth.”</p><p>Your eyes widened at his words. “What?”</p><p>“What Levi means,” Hange began, “is that you seem kind of down.”</p><p>“I’m not necessarily down,” you said. “It’s just--” you sighed heavily. “Okay, people have been acting weirder than I expected. Especially the king.”</p><p>“What do you mean, weird?” Hange asked.</p><p>“Well, I don’t mean any disrespect…”</p><p>“Of course not,” Levi said impatiently, gesturing for you to continue.</p><p>“Every time we talk, he seems nervous,” you said. “Very nervous. And he doesn’t seem interested in talking unless it’s about his soldiers.” Even though you were confiding in them, you didn’t feel comfortable telling them what you had overheard. It seemed a bit too private to share.</p><p>Levi and Hange exchanged a glance, twin looks of confusion on their faces. </p><p>“Nervous? That doesn’t sound like him,” Hange said. </p><p>Levi nodded in agreement.</p><p>“Actually, to tell you the truth,” Hange continued, “we haven’t spoken with him in a few days. Ever since this whole thing started. So we have no idea how he feels about it or who he’s going to pick, or anything.”</p><p>“And we don’t particularly care,” Levi muttered, taking a sip of tea. </p><p>Hange elbowed Levi lightly, chuckling. “He doesn’t care,” she said to you, “but I sure do. I’m nosy like that. So, you think he’ll pick you?”</p><p>“I don’t think so,” you said, one hand coming up to rub the back of your neck. “We haven’t really gotten to know each other much so far, so I don’t see why he would.”</p><p>“Oh, man, you would not be saying that if you had heard the other girls,” Hange said.<br/> <br/>“I’ve run into them a few times,” you confessed. “They’re not exactly my biggest fans at the moment.” </p><p>“I swear, they’re so fucking rude. I had to stop Levi from almost murdering them at least ten times.”</p><p>Levi swore under his breath, mumbling something about “rude little brats who thought they owned the place”.</p><p>“I’m surprised that the king is putting up with them,” Hange continued, ignoring him. “He usually has such a short temper.”</p><p>Your brows furrowed. In your opinion, the king definitely didn’t seem like the type to anger easily. But perhaps you had misjudged him. Hange and Levi definitely knew him better than you did. </p><p>The more you wondered about it, the more confused you got. Your conversation with Levi and Hange had helped partially, but you wished to distract yourself even further. Fortunately, you knew the perfect person for the job.</p><p>Bidding farewell to Hange and Levi, you headed back to your room to light a candle.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Primal Desire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>warnings for this chapter: uhh you and eren make out lol, feel free to skip the second half of the chapter if you're not comfortable reading it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next few days passed in a similar fashion. </p><p>You avoided the other girls whenever you could, taken aback by their blatant hostility. Mikasa helped you out, letting you know where they would be and showing you shortcuts to get through the castle quickly.</p><p>Your sessions with the king didn’t improve in the slightest -- if anything, he seemed to be getting more uneasy as the ball drew closer. The conversation you had overheard didn’t leave your mind, despite your best efforts to forget it. </p><p>As soon as your sessions with the king were over, you would rush out to the garden to meet with Kruger. True to his word, he had left you directions for the hedge maze, and as long as you left a candle burning at your window, he would be there to greet you. </p><p>No matter how you spent your time with Kruger, it always proved to be the highlight of your day. One evening, after the other girls’ cruel words had struck a bit too deep, and you couldn’t stop tears from streaming down your cheeks, he had spent most of the night rubbing soothing circles into your back, whispering reassurances into your hair.</p><p>Another night, after he had expressed interest, you both had flopped down on the grass, staring at the sky. You had pointed out a bunch of constellations to him that you’d read about in books, his hand comfortably nestled in yours.</p><p>It didn’t escape your notice that he had been a lot more forward lately with you as well. Whether it was a hand on your lower back to walk you back to your room, or fingers intertwined with yours as he pulled you along. You’d be lying if you said you minded it, however.</p><p>As you entered the garden, a quick glance around showed that you had beaten Kruger there. Taking a seat on the bench, you waited a few moments before the tell-tale sound of footsteps reached your ears. </p><p>“This is your fault,” you groaned, dropping your head into your hands as he approached. Your annoyance was somewhat mollified by the fact that he looked just as alluring as always.</p><p>Kruger laughed. “Hello to you too.” Sitting on the bench next to you, he leaned in. “What exactly is my fault?”</p><p>“I was supposed to have dance lessons this morning,” you explained.</p><p>Armin had dropped by your room yesterday, explaining that since all the girls had to dance with the king at the ball, he was in charge of teaching them all how to. You had been meeting Kruger every night in the garden, however, and the two of you had been spending more and more time together. Unfortunately, this had the effect of you returning to your chambers later and later. It was worth it, however, to spend time with him. You had thought so, until this morning when you had overslept and completely missed the dance lessons. </p><p>You had thoroughly apologized to Armin, but he had simply laughed it off. “If you want, I can still teach you,” he had offered. You declined, mostly because you didn’t want to be a bother. That might not have been the best decision, in hindsight.</p><p>“I missed them, and now I have no idea how to dance, and I’m going to completely embarrass myself tomorrow at the ball when I dance with the king, and--”</p><p>“Hey,” Kruger interrupted you, laughing softly. “Calm down.”</p><p>“Easy for you to say,” you grumbled, peeking at him from between your fingers. “You’re not the one who’s going to be thrown in the dungeon for stepping on his toes--”</p><p>Kruger cut you off by clearing his throat. He looked away, a blush spreading across his face. “If you’d like,” he began hesitantly, “I can teach you.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>Instead of answering, he simply got up off of the bench, offering you his hand.</p><p>You glanced down at it hesitantly. “Now? But...there’s no music.”</p><p>“So?”</p><p>Well, you couldn’t argue with that.</p><p>You took his hand, and he gently pulled you up, placing his other hand around your waist. You tried to hide the way your breath quickened at this. </p><p>“Put your other hand on my shoulder,” he said.</p><p>You did as he said, feeling the strong muscles of his shoulder beneath your hand,</p><p> Once you did, he wasted no time drawing you even closer to him, his free hand meeting yours. “And now,” he said, leading you slowly in a waltz, “we dance.”</p><p>At first, you stiffened up, unused to the movement. Kruger was patient with you, though, gently pulling you along with him. The longer you two were in the garden, the more comfortable you got. He seemed to feel the same -- you could feel his hand start to wander, fingers gently thumbing circles into your waist. </p><p>“This is easier than I thought,” you said, looking up at him. “You’re a good teacher.”</p><p>“Maybe you’re just a good student.”</p><p>He met your gaze with his heat-filled one. Your breath hitched as he slowly leaned in, his face approaching yours. </p><p>“Tell me to stop,” he murmured.</p><p>You shook your head resolutely, and with that, he closed the distance between you both. </p><p>Your eyes fluttered shut as he lightly brushed his lips against yours, once, twice, three times before he hesitantly pulled away. </p><p>He glanced at you carefully, as if he was giving you a chance to protest. When you didn’t, however, he leaned back in. The first time was sweet. This kiss, however, seemed infinitely more hungry. </p><p>Kruger’s mouth molded to yours desperately, and you could feel your lips part eagerly in response. His hand at your waist tightened its grip, and he used it as leverage to press you up against his body. Your hands came up, fisting in the front of his shirt and pressing up against the hard muscles and planes of his chest.</p><p>It felt so good to kiss him. It was as if all the tension between you two in the past few days had finally bubbled over into this. </p><p>You had never been so shameless before. You were in a public garden, on the castle grounds, with a man’s tongue down your throat. And yet, you couldn’t find it in yourself to be embarrassed.</p><p>You moaned into the kiss and Kruger growled darkly, pulling away. You were about to ask what happened when he grabbed your wrist and yanked. He sat down on the bench, pulling you on top of him. You yelped as he arranged your legs on either side of him so that you were straddling him. </p><p>You didn’t even have time to wonder at this new position before his mouth met yours again. Both his arms found their way around you, and he pressed you against him tightly. Free to do some exploring of your own, your hands came up behind him, threading into his soft hair. </p><p>Pulling away from your mouth, he shifted to press his lips against the curve of your jaw. A soft gasp arose from your throat as he began to suckle at the sensitive skin.</p><p>“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he groaned, nipping your ear lightly. You moaned at the feeling. “Since I first saw you that night in the garden.”</p><p>“You should have,” you whimpered, thighs clenching around his muscular legs. His lips traveled downwards, and his teeth lightly scraped against your throat. “Fuck, Kruger.”</p><p>The sound of his name seemed to strike something in him, and he abruptly pulled back. You tried to catch your breath, chest heaving, and lips kiss-swollen. </p><p>“We shouldn’t do this,” he said gruffly.</p><p>As much as you knew you should agree, you couldn’t stop the hurt look from spreading across your face. </p><p>“Not that I don’t want to,” he rushed to reassure you. “Because I do. A lot. But I can’t.” He ran a hand through his mussed hair, looking troubled. “You’ll understand soon.”</p><p>Before you could ask what that meant, Kruger placed his hands around your waist, easily lifting you off of his lap and to your feet. “Let me walk you back to your room,” he said, “before I do something I’ll regret.”</p><p>You pushed away the disappointment you felt. “Will I see you at the ball tomorrow?” you asked hopefully.</p><p>“Yes,” he said firmly, “you definitely will.”</p><p>As he escorted you back to the castle, the comfortable silence gave you a chance to collect your thoughts. Truthfully, you were glad that he had stopped -- it wouldn’t have been proper to go further, especially not in the garden where anybody could have seen you. And to be fair, after tonight you could end up engaged to another man. It made sense why he’d been hesitant. </p><p>He did say you would see him tomorrow, though. You slept restlessly that night, eager for the start of the ball.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Ruler of the Walls</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the morning sunlight made its way through your window, you sat up in bed and stretched with a groan. The events of last night came rushing back to you. </p><p>Your experience with Kruger the night before had been passionate, to say the least. You knew that you could no longer deny it -- you had feelings for him. Everything about him was intriguing -- the way he spoke to you and the fact that he seemed genuinely interested in you and everything you had to say. And after last night, it certainly seemed like he was interested in you physically as well. </p><p>A knock on your door roused you out of your thoughts. Opening it, you found a servant holding an elaborately wrapped box.</p><p>“Pardon the interruption, my lady,” he said, bowing his head, “but this is for you.”</p><p>“For me?” you asked, reaching out to take it from him. “From who?”</p><p>“The king sent it,” he said. “His Majesty said to tell you he would be very pleased if you wore this, and that he looks forward to seeing you tonight at the ball.”</p><p>“Thank you,” you murmured, continuing to stare down at the present as the servant turned and left. Retreating back into your room, you sat down on the bed, eagerly ripping off the wrapping paper. A present from the king? That was certainly unexpected. Maybe he gave one to all the girls.</p><p>You lifted off the lid to reveal an elaborate ball gown, made of soft, satiny fabric. Just by touching the material, you could tell that it was finely crafted, probably very expensive. The color was a deep blue-green -- you couldn’t help but notice that it was the exact shade of Kruger’s eyes.</p><p>Truthfully, you were grateful for the gift. Although you had brought your best clothes, you didn’t think they would have been appropriate for an event as formal as tonight’s ball. The longer you stayed here, the more you saw how kind the king truly was. </p><p>Even though your encounters with him were more than a bit awkward, you couldn’t say they were entirely unpleasant. After tonight, when your stay at the castle would be over, it would be a shame to not see him again.</p><p>A small voice in your head reminded you that after tonight, you wouldn’t see Kruger again either -- there was no way the king was going to pick you, so your chance of staying at the castle was impossible.</p><p>Kruger had told you that he would be at the ball tonight though. You resolved to not think about the future, and just enjoy the night.</p><hr/><p>Getting ready for the ball had taken longer than you had thought, and before you knew it, it was already evening, and Mikasa was knocking at your door to pick you up. She looked radiant in a red ball gown of her own. </p><p>The ball gown the king had sent fit like a dream. If you didn’t know better, you would have said it was made specifically for you. </p><p>She told you that since there weren’t balls very often, what with the war going on, apparently everyone in the king’s guard had received the day off, and could all be in attendance. Everyone in the kingdom was also invited, such as the other girls’ parents. </p><p>Mikasa led you through a large corridor. “The ballroom is through here,” she explained. “Since we don’t hold events much, this part of the castle rarely gets used, and people don’t really go here.”</p><p>As you followed behind her, something on the wall caught your eye, and you stopped dead in your tracks.</p><p>Noticing that you had stopped, Mikasa turned and called your name. “Is everything alright?”</p><p>You didn’t respond, too caught up in staring at the painting on the wall. Your eyes swept over broad shoulders and a sharp jaw framed by long, dark hair. A pair of familiar emerald eyes stared impassively back at you. </p><p>It was impossible to deny -- you were staring at a portrait of Kruger.</p><p>“...What is this?” you asked hesitantly.</p><p>Mikasa looked confused. “That’s a painting of the king.”</p><p>You shook your head emphatically, taking a step back. “That’s not the king.”</p><p>“Uh...yes it is.” Mikasa looked worried by your behavior. “You met him, didn’t you?”</p><p>“That’s not the man I met,” you insisted, pointing to the painting before you. “That’s the gardener!”</p><p>Mikasa shook her head slowly. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. We don’t have a gardener at the castle.”</p><hr/><p>You didn’t want to be any later than you already were, and so Mikasa pulled you into the ballroom, while your head was still racing.</p><p>Kruger was the king? There was no way. Then who was the man you had met in the library?</p><p>If Kruger truly was the king, you didn’t even want to think about what that meant for you. You had behaved far too casually with him, even going as far as to kiss him. </p><p>Walking by the other girls, you heard them loudly proclaiming to their families that the king was sure to pick them as his bride, but you tuned them out. </p><p>At first, you didn’t want to believe it. The more you thought about it, however, the more realistic it seemed. Many of the strange behaviors you witnessed were suddenly explainable. All of Kruger’s cryptic comments in the garden. The strange behavior from the man that you had met with and had believed to be the king. </p><p>Kruger had mentioned to you that he might see you at the ball. This must be what he had meant. </p><p>Catching sight of your arrival, Armin took this opportunity to walk out to the front of the ballroom. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming tonight. If all of the king’s girls could please come forward for me.”</p><p>You stepped forward on trembling legs, lining up alongside the other girls.</p><p>“Now,” Armin continued, “allow me to announce the arrival of the king. Presenting His Majesty, the King of Eldia, Eren Jaeger.”</p><p>A hush fell over the crowd as they all waited in anticipation. Catching sight of the other girls doing so, you immediately sank into a curtsey, heart racing. The room was silent except for the sound of the approaching footsteps. Unable to bear the suspense, you glanced up from the floor towards them. A pair of familiar green eyes met yours. </p><p>You watched in shock as Kruger made his way to the center of the ballroom. His position was undeniable -- in his formal attire, he looked every bit the imposing king you had originally pictured. He seemed to have chosen to forgo a crown. Instead, he had pulled his long hair up in a bun. Your heart fluttered as you realized how much more handsome he looked. </p><p>“Thank you for all coming tonight,” he announced, his voice booming in the large room. “My thanks go especially to the five of you,” he said, sweeping his eyes over the line of girls. His eyes seemed to linger on yours for a moment before he pulled them away. “Your participation and willingness to stay here for the past ten days are much appreciated. I know everyone here is eager for me to announce who I’ve chosen as my bride, but before that, I have a confession to make.”</p><p>Behind you, you could hear everyone whispering to each other in hushed voices. It seemed you weren’t the only one confused by his words. </p><p>“Personally, I considered the last ten days to be more of a test,” he said. Looking to the side, he waved someone forward. Although the new man was in formal attire, the way he held himself made it clear that he was a soldier. “This is Jean Kirstein, a member of my personal guard,” the king said. Studying the man, you gasped when you realized his face looked familiar. It was the man you had met in the library. He had removed his wig, revealing light brown hair underneath. </p><p>“I had Jean pretend to be me during the meetings with you all,” he said, addressing the five of you before him. “While he did that, I disguised myself in an attempt to get to know all of you better. Or at least, the ones that bothered to talk to me.”</p><p>You could hear Anka clear her throat uncomfortably from her place in line next to you. </p><p>“My apologies for deceiving all of you,” the king continued, though he didn’t quite sound as sincere as he should have. You noticed that he avoided your eyes, however. “I felt that it was necessary in order to choose a worthy woman to be the next queen of Eldia.”</p><p>Although some people were still grumbling, no one protested outwardly. Perhaps they were all too afraid of him to speak up. </p><p>“Now, before I announce the result, if all the ladies before me would grace me with a dance,” he said, walking over to the end of the line opposite you. He offered his hand to Caven, and it seemed like the other ball guests took that as an opportunity to find their own partners and move to the floor, as a light waltz began playing.</p><p>You were about to move off to stand to the side of the room when Armin approached you determinedly. “Dance with me?” he asked, offering you his hand. “I think you deserve an explanation.”</p><p>Nodding hesitantly, you took his hand and allowed him to lead you to the dance floor.</p><p>“An explanation?” you asked, as you both began to dance slowly. “So you knew about this?”</p><p>To his credit, Armin did look a bit sheepish. “Actually, I was the one that gave him the idea to do it.”</p><p>Seeing your raised eyebrows, he continued. “He was very against the whole idea in the beginning, but it was undeniable that he had to get married. Eldia’s political stature among our neighboring nations was simply far too weak. He was fine with the idea of marriage, but he was very against the marriage being solely for political reasons. He was emphatic that he would only get married to someone he genuinely liked.”</p><p>Your knowledge of politics wasn’t too elaborate, but you were able to follow along with Armin’s points. </p><p>“Can I ask you something?” you spoke up hesitantly. “How come the king -- I mean, uh --” you broke off, gesturing towards the soldier who had pretended to be the king. With faint amusement, you noted that he seemed to be trying to muster up enough courage to approach Mikasa, who was chatting with Hange at the side of the room.</p><p>Armin followed your gaze. “Jean,” he prompted.</p><p>“Yes, Jean,” you said. “How come he didn’t show up to dinner that first night? And why did he cancel his meeting with me, specifically?”</p><p>“Oh, that,” Armin said. “I had to tell him not to come to dinner because you had brought Mikasa to sit with you. She would have recognized him instantly. As for his meeting with you…” Armin trailed off. “Let’s just say that he wasn’t very happy about the plan after he met with some of the other girls.”</p><p>You both fell silent as you continued whirling across the dance floor, only the sound of music and the faint chatter of the crowd filling your ears. </p><p>“You’re a good dancer,” Armin remarked. “I was a bit concerned after you missed the lessons, but it seems like I had nothing to worry about.”</p><p>“...I had a good teacher,” you said softly. He smiled knowingly. </p><p>“I already asked you this the first time we met,” Armin began, “but I’m a little curious to see if your answer has changed. So, what do you think of the king?”</p><p>You averted your eyes at his knowing expression. “Uh, I -- I’m not exactly --”</p><p>“You know,” Armin continued, smirking. “He’s been interested in you for a while now.”</p><p>You stared at him, confused. “But I only met him when I came to the castle.”</p><p>Armin leaned in conspiratorially. “He’ll kill me for telling you this, but he actually saw you a few months ago.”</p><p>“What?” you gasped.</p><p>“He came to town in his disguise once before,” Armin explained. He seemed to be finding great joy in your shock. “He wanted to see for himself how the villagers were dealing with the effects of the war. And then he saw you on the street.”</p><p>Your eyebrows scrunched together, trying to process this new information. </p><p>“That’s why he was so determined that I had to be the one who personally escorted you to the castle.”</p><p>“But then, why the disguise?” you asked. </p><p>“Looks like you’ll have to ask him yourself,” Armin said, looking at something behind you. </p><p>Turning, you saw the king approaching you, making his way to the crowd. Stopping in front of you, he held out his hand to you, looking at you expectantly. </p><p>“May I cut in?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. A Dream I Once Had</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You almost laughed. Although the setting was completely different -- you both were in the royal ballroom with hundreds of other people instead of alone in the garden -- the feeling of dancing with Kruger was still as familiar as it was last night.</p><p>There were no more mistaken identities between you two. No matter how unbelievable it was, you had finally registered that the feared king and the man from the garden were one and the same. </p><p>“So, Kruger,” you began, “or should I call you Your Majesty now?”</p><p>To his credit, he did manage to look a bit sheepish. “Just Eren is fine,” he said softly. “I wanted to apologize to you.”</p><p>You immediately shook your head, attempting to step away, but his strong arms pulled you back in easily. “You don’t need to apologize to me, you’re the king! It’s alright, really--”</p><p>He cut you off firmly. “No, it’s not. I lied to you and that was unfair of me. I don’t care about the others if I’m being honest. But you deserve an apology.”</p><p>As you both whirled across the ballroom floor, he took a deep breath and began to explain. “Truthfully, I just wanted you to like me for me. I wanted to get to know you without our ranks getting in the way, and I didn’t want you to see me any differently just because I’m the king.”</p><p>“I understand,” you said softly. “But to be honest, I kind of had an idea that something was up.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“The other day, I heard you and the king -- I mean, that other soldier, Jean, arguing in the upstairs corridor.”</p><p>“You heard that, huh?” Kruger -- Eren laughed. “I guess we weren’t exactly being quiet. Jean has been in love with Mikasa for ages now, so I thought it would be easy to persuade him to pretend to be me for a few days. He wasn’t supposed to cancel on you that first day though -- sorry about that.”</p><p>You brushed him off, smiling gently. “So are you going to talk to Mikasa for him?”</p><p>Eren looked torn. “Honestly, I kind of hate that guy, but he does like Mikasa and she’s like a sister to me. I know he’ll treat her well.” He suddenly spun you around using his grip on your hand. “But enough about him.”</p><p>“Can I ask you something?” you began softly.</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“Are you really-” you paused, thinking of how to word it. “Can you really turn into a-- into a-”</p><p>“A Titan?” he finished, watching your face carefully for your reaction. “Yes.” He tightened his grip on you, as if worried you might run away. </p><p>As if you would. </p><p>Instead, you glanced up at him. “Does it hurt? When you do turn into one, I mean.”</p><p>He gaped at you in shock.</p><p>“Sorry, did I say something wrong?” you asked sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to pry, I just was curious. That was rude of me, I shouldn’t have asked--”</p><p>Eren suddenly cut you off by laughing out loud, loud enough that the people nearby turned to glance at the two of you dancing. “You’re kidding, right?”</p><p>Startled, you stared back at him. “No?”</p><p>“When most people find out I’m a Titan, their first reaction is to run away screaming,” he explained. “That, or they’ll try to kill me. I think you’re the first person to actually ask me that.”</p><p>Eren looked thoughtful for a moment. “No, it doesn’t hurt. It used to, the first few times I transformed, but not anymore. Guess my body’s gotten used to turning into a monster.”</p><p>“You’re not a monster!” you cut him off fiercely.</p><p>Now it was his turn to look startled.</p><p>“All the soldiers I’ve talked to say that you care about them all a lot. Hange told me that you’re the only one who listens to what she has to say. You even put up with Jean, who you say you don’t like, just because you think he’ll make Mikasa happy. You’re one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met -- nothing you do would make me think you’re a monster.”</p><p>At your words, a grin lit up Eren’s face. Pulling you imperceptibly closer to him, he glanced down at you fondly. “I knew you were the right choice.”</p><p>You jerked your head back, astonished. “Choice?”</p><p>“Well, yes,” he said, looking at you as if you were an idiot. “I thought I had made my intentions clear with the presents, but I suppose not. In case it wasn’t clear, I intend to marry you.”</p><p>Somehow, the fact that the presents came from him didn’t surprise you as much as it should have. </p><p>“Marriage?” you asked hesitantly. “Are you sure? I mean, you’re the king. You could have anyone you wanted.”</p><p>“I only want you,” Eren said resolutely. “I’m not going to change my mind about this, if that’s what you’re worried about.”</p><p>Well, you weren’t about to argue with that. Mikasa had told you that he was stubborn. That definitely wasn’t a lie.</p><p>“But it’ll be a political marriage, right?”</p><p>He laughed. “Trust me, there is nothing political about this,” he said, gesturing between the two of you. “Besides, I’d hope that last night wasn’t political.”</p><p>“I don’t know anything about a kingdom,” you tried to say, “and everyone from the village hates me. There’s no way people will accept me as the queen.”</p><p>Eren tilted his head. “Why are you trying so hard to convince me? Do you not want to marry me?”</p><p>“No it’s not that,” you said. “I do want to, but I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.”</p><p>He laughed lightly. “Everyone in the village hates me as well. I hardly think you should be concerned with their opinion of you. And besides, I didn’t know much about being a king at the beginning either. That’s why I have my friends to help.” </p><p>He glanced over to the side at Armin, Mikasa, and Hange, who were watching the two of you with barely-concealed excitement. Levi was slumped against the wall behind them, but you could tell that even he was glancing at you and Eren surreptitiously. </p><p>“Besides,” Eren said, “I’ve really been looking forward to finishing what we started last night in the garden.”</p><p>Was he talking about what you thought he was? You opened your mouth to interrupt, but he continued. “I didn’t think it was fair to you to not even know my real name. That’s why I stopped.”</p><p>His hand that was previously at your waist came up to cradle your chin.  “But now…” he purred, “we don’t have that problem.”</p><p>Leaning in, he lightly pressed his lips against yours. The kiss was chaste, probably for the sake of the people around you, but it was no less passionate than the ones you had shared the night before.</p><p>You faintly registered the sound of the music fading out. People began to file off the dance floor slowly, and Eren took that as his cue to pull away regretfully.</p><p>“We can save the rest for later,” he said, gently tugging you towards the front of the room. “Now, come on, love. I think it’s time to introduce the people to the new queen of Eldia.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>and we're finally done!! i had so much fun writing this fic, and I just wanted to say once more, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to all of you for reading and for leaving comments and kudos! every time I got a notification that one of you commented I literally was SO happy you have no idea &lt;3 it's still super crazy to me that you guys not only read my story, but actually enjoyed it. It was so much fun interacting with all of you through the comments as well. thank you for all of your support!! you guys are the best &lt;33</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!! As always, constructive feedback is very much welcome! </p><p>if you ever wanna hit me up to chat or commission something, you can do so on my <a href="https://theowl104.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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